Ohio Lawmakers Pass Another Abortion Ban

The Ohio House has passed a bill that bans a surgical procedure commonly used in abortions. It’s the second abortion-related bill to pass in this lame-duck session, following the six-week abortion ban known as the “Heartbeat Bill.”

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This bill outlaws “dilation and extraction,” a surgical procedure used for abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy. Abortion opponents call the procedure “dismememberment abortion,” and unlike the “Heartbeat Bill,” this ban has the backing of Ohio Right to Life.

The bill passed by a large margin, 62-27, enough to override a potential veto. Republican state Rep. Nathan Manning pointed out the ban does not affect miscarriages.

“Dismemberment abortion does not include a procedure performed after the death of the unborn child to extract any remaining parts of the unborn child," Manning says.

Democratic state Rep. Tavia Galonski says she has problems with the bill because it doesn’t exempt victims of rape or incest.

“The state should not be involved,” Galonski says. “The government should not be involved in these decisions.”

The Senate has concurred on a small change the House made to the bill, and it now goes to Gov. John Kasich. Kasich said he would veto the “Heartbeat Bill,” but has not indicated what he might do with this abortion ban. It's likely Kasich will approve the "dilation and extraction" ban while vetoing the "Heartbeat Bill," similar to what he did in 2016.

Kasich has signed 20 abortion-related bills into law during his time as governor.

Backers of the so-called “Heartbeat Bill,” legislation that bans abortion at the point a fetal heartbeat is detected, are getting some help from evangelical leaders. The supporters are sending a strong message to Gov. John Kasich and Ohio lawmakers.

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